ARC Review: Enter the Dragon (Fire Mates #4)

Enter the Dragon (Fire Mates #4)

by Lexxie Couper

Blurb:

Look, no one ever said fighting your destiny was going to be easy. But surely it was never meant to be this pleasurable either? What’s a dragon shifter to do when every plan she has goes up in smoke?

Producer Reece Collier is brand new to her position on Sunrise in Sydney when a chance meeting with her fated mate threatens everything she’s worked for. Never mind that Kellan Donovan is the most gorgeous thing on two legs; her parents were a prime example of how finding your Fire Mate can ruin your life. Still, despite employing every trick at her disposal, Reece is completely unprepared for the mating fire…and just how much it makes her burn for the dragon.

Thanks to his good looks and a koala video gone viral, firefighter Kellan Donovan is the “face” of the state’s fire brigade and rescue service. Not exactly the normal job for a dragon shifter to be sure, but Kellan loves it —but it’s seriously in jeopardy when he meets his Fire Mate, unexpectedly, just minutes before being interviewed on live TV. Hell, how is he going to control himself?

No one said finding a mate would be easy, and Kellan and Reece have more than one obstacle keeping them from consummating their destiny. His coworker…her reluctance…a few deadly crossbow bolts…

Themes:  Paranormal, Dragon Shifters

Rating: 3 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 So I have to be honest… I REALLY hate reading stories out of order, but when this story came up for review, unfortunately I thought it was the next in another series I was reading and jumped right in without checking first. So now I have to deal with the fact that I read this story and review it based solely on its very own merit. While I am a huge fan of just about everything Lexxie Couper writes, I have noticed lately that a lot of her stories have gotten shorter and shorter and this makes me sad because her longer stories are always so full of heart and heat that make me want to come back for more and more. This story was a good one and the series seems to have an interesting premise, but there just doesn’t seem to be enough time for true character or emotional development in such a short story.  Kellan and Reece are both interesting characters and could have been amazing to get to know, but in the time I had with them I feel I just scratched the surface sadly. Kellan is a Dragon-shifter firefighter that has gotten roped into being the face of his department and is now stuck spending time on camera.  When he travels to do a morning show he is more than surprised to find himself with a female dragon that instantly ignites his mating sense and they are both pulled into an attraction so intense neither of them are able to function.  Reece has been determined her entire life to never let her mating sense lead her into a forced mating with any male and now that she has to deal with the true intensity of the pull she can’t face the pain. Only together can they decide if they are going to give in to the mating or deal with the lifelong consequences of giving up their mating.  I liked Kellan’s sweetness and willingness to understand why Reece is resisting, not to mention his nobility and alpha sexiness but I just didn’t get enough time to dig deep into his psyche.   Reece is a bit silly in her stubbornness and unwillingness to even consider mating with her fated mate just because her parents were assholes, but I guess everyone has a hang-up to deal with.  She might have been redeemable, after all there were several times she came to Kellan’s defense despite her resistance to their mating, but again I just didn’t get enough time with her.  The heat and passion was there of course and more than undeniable, but I would have liked a little more than just raw passion. I probably won’t go back to this series, but I am looking forward to the next in Lexxie’s other series I am already buried in and always enjoy most anything by Lexxie, though I am wishing for more length lately.  Maybe she will hear my pleas and give us some longer stories, even if we have to wait a little longer between them.   

*eARC provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.